Summary

Desiree is a 32-year-old woman from Mexico, working as a waitress in Berkeley, California. Her testimony is titled “That’s My Mom’s Girlfriend.” She first crossed the border legally with a visitor’s visa, planning to stay for a couple of months with her older sister. Desiree grew up with a drunk mother and a very strict father, who jointly sent her to live with her sister in the hope that she would “learn to behave” (269). Desiree began working with her sister at McDonald’s. She frequently felt humiliated at work because she didn’t speak English. Around this time, Desiree fell fin love with and had sex with a man who worked at a nearby Mexican restaurant. She became pregnant, and he left her for a college-educated US citizen.

During her pregnancy, Desiree became friends with Gabriela, her Medi-Cal...